Instead of gifts for his birthday, the 9-year-old from Minnesota asked for friends and family to donate money to a GoFundMe campaign to help buy protective vests for police dogs, KSTP reported. On Saturday, Ethan presented a check for $1,290 to the St. Paul Police Department K9 unit.

“I think it’s outstanding that a 9-year-old could think of something like that,” St. Paul Police Sgt. John Linssen told the news outlet. “It’s remarkable.”

Ethan has been helping animals for more than half his life. When he received an overwhelming number of gifts for his 4th birthday, Ethan’s mother looked for a cause for the family to donate to instead of having a party. When the Lake Superior Zoo was flooded, Ethan helped raise money to assist the facility in its recovery, KMSP reported.

That charitable spirit has continued to grow for Ethan, and so has his love for dogs. So, when he heard not all brave pups in the K9 unit had protective vests, he took action.